The Joint Ditch Authority for Judicial Ditch No. 1 will meet tomorrow morning (Wednesday) at 11 in the Kandiyohi County Commissioners’ board room in the Health and Human Services Building. The Joint Ditch Authority has not met in a number of years. They will be discussing maintenance needs as well as the possibility of a redetermination of benefits.

The Olivia Police Department has teamed up with the AAA’s ‘I Got Caught’ program, which encourages teens to buckle up. Sheriff’s Offices and Police Departments throughout the state, along with the Olivia officers hope to impact teen drivers positively with incentives for getting into the habit of buckling up while in a motor vehicle. Olivia high school students caught buckling up will get music download cards, Dairy Queen treats or tickets to Nickelodeon Universe. The rewards for ‘getting caught’ will not be handed out during traffic stops, but will be given out when officers come upon a teen that is buckled up.

Ridgewater College will have a ‘building breaking’ ceremony on Friday morning at 11 at the Ridgewater College Willmar Campus in front of Building A, the student services building. You’re invited to join them for the ceremony as they embark on the biggest campus remodeling project in over 20 years.

University of Minnesota President Eric Kaler was on the Morris campus last week. He attended the jazz festival and met with members of the public to discuss the future of the University. Kaler says research at the university will be increasingly focused in four key areas: food, water, robotics, and neuro-modulation. He says one neuro-modulation project on the Twin Cities campus involves placing small electrodes in a patient's brain or nervous system and, by sending small impulses, regulates the electrical pulses that contribute to neuro-function. Kaler says the technology has demonstrated ability to improve function in Parkinson's patients and might prove useful in treating addictions. Kaler said the university system is also working to become more efficient by re-evaluating their structure and cutting unneeded administrative offices.

Prospective parents and students planning to enroll at the Morris Area Schools have a special day planned later this week. Morris Elementary Principal Ken Gagner says parents can come to the school on Friday morning starting at 8:45. There will be time to meet with the kindergarten teachers, and students will have an opportunity to participate in a sample lesson. For more information, call the elementary office.

22 year old Cody Kirgiss of Hector died at the North Memorial Medical Center where he was airlifted following a crash Saturday night on Highway 212 near Olivia. According to the Minnesota State Patrol, the Olivia Police Department was checking on a driving complaint north of Highway 212 on 11th Street North, located the suspect and began pursuit. Kirgiss was traveling west on Highway 212. A Renville County Sheriff’s Deputy had stopped his squad car with emergency lights activated in the east lane of Highway 212. Eastbound traffic to the rear of the squad car had stopped. Kirgiss crossed the centerline and struck the squad car, which was unoccupied at the time. The squad car was pushed into a vehicle parked on the east shoulder and driven by 64 year old Wallace Lundquist of Blomkest. Kirgiss’ vehicle rolled onto its right side and caught fire. He was extricated from the vehicle and airlifted by North Air Care from the scene. The Olivia officer and a Renville County deputy were treated at the Renville County Hospital and Clinics for smoke and fire extinguisher chemical inhalation and released.

Charges of both first and second degree assault have been filed against 18 year old David Medellin Jr. of Montevideo in a stabbing incident that happened at a residence in Montevideo on Saturday. The 21 year old stabbing victim had to undergo emergency surgery.

Early yesterday morning (Monday), Litchfield Police arrested a 39 year old Stewart man for the theft of a trailer from an East Frontage Road business. The arrest occurred at a 240thStreet/CSAH 9 location. He is being held in the Meeker County Jail pending an appearance in Meeker County District Court.

The Morris School Board has approved a final consolidation plan with the Cyrus school district. In a unanimous vote, the boards have agreed to combine, creating an extended district with boundaries in Stevens, Pope, and Swift Counties. Morris Superintendent Scott Monson says the consolidation plat was approved, without changes, by Minnesota Education Commissioner Brenda Cassellius. The Minnesota Legislature has yet to vote on a proposed bonding bill for the demolition of the Cyrus school building. The bond language assigns repayment to residents of the current Cyrus district.

A bill circulating in the Minnesota House and Senate designed to ease the tax burden of Minnesota residents paying off student loans on an education earned in Minnesota is getting local support. Representative Jay McNamar of Elbow Lake has signed on to support the "Education Opportunity Credit." The tax credit would offer tax rebates on qualifying principle and interest repayment. Senator Torrey Westrom of Elbow Lake says he has supported similar legislation in the past and will look into signing on to the Senate version of the bill. Westrom says the credits like the proposed bill encourage Minnesota-educated residents to stay in the state and pay taxes into the system. The credit would only apply to the debt burdens of those who received their education in Minnesota and continue to work in the state.